Most Read

Most Read

We understand your anger, ANC tells North West residents

The ANC has said it understands the anger of North West residents who took to Mahikeng’s streets this week in protest against corruption and to demanding that premier Supra Mahumapelo be sacked.

Addressing the media before a meeting of the ANC top brass‚ including President Cyril Ramaphosa‚ as well as Mahumapelo and his counterparts in the province‚ ANC national executive committee (NEC) member Obed Bapela expressed sympathy with the residents’ cries.

#Mahikeng Obed Bapela says the meeting is yet to start- they are waiting for Ramaphosa to arrive. We thought he arrived earlier but it was Deputy President David Mabuza.

He said the ANC understood people’s anger when they saw millions of rand going to companies while services worsened.

Ramaphosa cut short his visit to the UK, where he was to have participated in a meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government‚ to attend to the violent protests in Mahikeng.

Former leaders in the province‚ including China Dodovu and ANC Youth League president Collen Maine‚ had been invited to the meeting.

Bapela was sent to the province to deal with the situation there and has been at the forefront, putting out fires‚ because some ANC members in the provincial legislature have been calling for Mahumapelo’s sacking.

#Mahikeng Premier Supra Mahumapelo's spokesperson and the ANC spokesperson has denied claims that he has refused to meet with Ramaphosa. They however say that the pair are not currently meeting now. Will update from inside if we get anything...

The impasse attracted the attention of the national ANC leadership when 11 caucus members‚ reportedly including some members of Mahumapelo’s executive‚ said they would vote with the opposition in a motion of no confidence that had been set for Tuesday this week.

Bapela said he hoped that North West workers belonging to the National Health, Education and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) would suspend their protest action now that Mahumapelo had suspended Thabo Lekalakala‚ the health department head‚ for his alleged involvement in a corrupt tender deal with a Gupta-linked company.

Bapela said the go-slow and strike had negatively affected health services in the province.

Protesters blockaded streets with rocks and burning tyres. They looted a number of shops and set several cars alight. Bapela condemned the violence and called for calm.